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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24622621">need a pick-me-up</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosebrushes/pseuds/rosebrushes'>rosebrushes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>College AU, F/M, coffee shop AU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:41:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,197</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24622621</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosebrushes/pseuds/rosebrushes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A long night of homework and studying, a day filled with tests and with an essay deadline looming over her head, Zelda crawls her way towards the nearest café for a pick-me-up and stumbles across a super cute—super familiar—barista.</p><p>a series (hopefully) of drabbles</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. first meetings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/lycheetea/gifts">lycheetea</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i hate writing a fic and going to post it only to remember I have to come up with a title, a summary, tags and everything like I'm stupid HELLO!! </p><p>anyways after months and months of begging my friend to read one (1) zelink fic I really like I gave her zelink brain rot so good news for me I have a friend to talk about zelink to! I've also created a monster who endlessly wants to consume zelink content so I also gotta try and take responsibility </p><p>also ty stinky for finally caving sorry for the brain rot and also ty for giving me $5 to buy webtoons coins</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zelda drags herself into the café, the A.C blasting cold air but the energy is warm and the room smells like coffee beans. It’s a cozy ambiance and it makes her want to curl up in bed and hibernate until final exam season, maybe even through the summer too. But she’s not here to take naps. </p><p>“Welcome!” </p><p>She straightens her shoulders, her green eyes meeting blue. The barista is attractive, pretty in a messy sort of way. She sees his dirty blonde hair is pulled back in a ponytail. His uniform is immaculate save for his rolled-up sleeves. He’s handsome in a pretty-boy kind of way and she feels her face grow warm.</p><p>She didn’t come here to check out cute baristas either. </p><p>Back on track, she points to the menu and the pretty-boy barista seems to get the message. He gives her a thumbs up and grabs a wipe from underneath the counter, busying himself with cleaning.</p><p>As Zelda mulls over her options, Link looks back at her—he recognizes her from his history class: they sit next to each other. </p><p>She breezed through their exam earlier; he recalls how she seems to finish most of their exams pretty quickly and with enough confidence to imply she has a firm grasp on the course material. If he ever had to be absent from class or had any questions, she’d be the one to ask.</p><p>Yet here she was looking exhausted, ready to crawl into bed and never come out.</p><p>And she was exhausted. Zelda had stayed up all night studying for her exams and finishing her homework. One moment she was reviewing her flashcards for the upteenth time and the next she woke up at her desk with an aching back and her alarm clock blaring. She only had so much time to get ready after that in order to make it to class on time. </p><p>Zelda had no time in between her classes to grab a snack. By the time she powered through two long exams, it was close enough to dinner that she didn’t want to have a full lunch or else she’d fill up and not be hungry by the time dinner came, and the cycle would consume her before she had a chance to consume a good, full meal. </p><p>Her zero in on the display. Link follows her hungry gaze: lemon pound cake. He looks back and sees her lick her lips. Before he can look anywhere else—anywhere less incriminating—she looks up and notices his staring.</p><p>“Uhm. Are you ready to order?” She doesn’t look too offended, maybe she didn’t even notice where he was staring and just knew that he was staring at her in general. Hopefully she didn’t feel weird or pressured to order faster. He didn’t want to rush her. </p><p>She approaches the counter slowly, still looking up at the drink menu with furrowed brows. </p><p>“I’ll have one slice of the lemon pound cake.”</p><p>She squints at the drink menu now, as if the drink she wants will single itself out, the rest of the words becoming a blur. She doesn’t really know what she’s looking for; she just wants something that will keep her up long enough to finish her homework on time.  She wasn’t the biggest fan of coffee—she prefers tea—but there was no way she’ll be able to get through the day without it. She stayed up late studying for her two exams, and scrambling to get a headstart on a big essay due at the end of the week. If she wants to keep up her schedule, she’ll need to write as much of that essay as she can tonight.</p><p>“And one large cappuccino please.”</p><p>That sounded right. Zelda didn’t know much about coffee aside from the fact that it tasted better with some desserts than when paired with tea. She also knew that most of the students on campus were zombies who seemed like they lived off the stuff. Like clockwork, they’d rise from their beds and grab a cup—the entire student population could probably make a pot of coffee in their sleep, which considering why they were making coffee in the first place, they probably did daily.</p><p>She’s so tired and lost in thought that she doesn’t hear the barista in front of her, barely catching the end of his sentence.</p><p>“...exam?”</p><p>“What?” Zelda quickly looks over her shoulder, wondering if she’s taking up the line only to see that the café is empty save for a couple people scattered throughout. There’s no one in line behind her. She turns back around to look at the barista taking her order.</p><p>His smile is soft and his eyes are patient. </p><p>“I asked if you needed a pick-me-up after that history exam.” He repeats and Zelda strains to hear the words he’s saying over noticing how gentle (and attractive) his voice is.</p><p>“Oh. Yeah,” She lets out a breathy laugh and nervously tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. So he must recognize her from class. “The exam wasn’t that bad. I just had a couple tests back-to-back today, and a lot of homework this week. Now I’m trying to get a head start on this essay due at the end of the week.” </p><p>He smiles and nods, punching her order into the register.</p><p>“What about you,” She quickly glances down to peep at his name-tag and hopes he doesn’t notice, “Link?” </p><p>He does, but he pretends not to because pretending his cute and charming classmate already knew his name makes his heart feel funny, but he can’t say he hates the feeling. Instead, he plays along. </p><p>“History’s not my favorite subject but it wasn’t too bad. I just had to come here straight after the test.”</p><p>“Going to work right after class? That doesn’t sound like much fun.” </p><p>“Actually, it’s not as bad as you might think.” He gives her a smile and she’s taken aback by just how sincere it is. Either he’s serious about the job or he’s nailed the customer service persona down to a science so complex that Zelda could spend her whole life studying and still flunk the test.</p><p>Guess it’s a good thing she wasn’t being tested on her cute barista/classmate, Zelda thinks to herself, because she was set up to fail considering she didn’t even know his name until a few minutes ago. </p><p>Their eyes meet for a second that drags on forever. Link holds a marker in his one hand and a cup in the other, and clears his throat.</p><p>“What should I write down?” He gives her a cheeky smile.</p><p>“Oh,” Her shoulders slump, disappointment getting the best of her. Did he not recognize her after all? Did she look weird for knowing his name? It’s not like it would be normal to even know his name—the class was a huge lecture hall. Though he did have a name tag. Maybe she didn’t look too weird, but if she looked too disappointed when he asked for her name, he might still think she’s odd. Of course he wouldn’t know her name. As if he can read her mind, he continues, </p><p>“I’m just asking if you want to put something fun down.”</p><p>“Oh!” She tries not to look too happy. So he does know her name—it’s oddly reassuring to affirm your existence with someone when classes are filled with hundreds of people, “Just Zelda's fine.”</p><p>Zelda. Her name is Zelda and it suits her so well. Zelda. The name of the Princess in nearly every Hylian fairy tale and she looks the part, even when she’s drowning in an oversized hoodie and he can see the bags under her eyes. </p><p>He tried to hide his buzzing excitement that his last-minute plan worked. He got her name and she doesn’t seem to suspect that he didn’t seem to know it in the first place. He writes her name down on the cup and takes a second to admire that it looks as pretty written out as it does to say in his head. </p><p>He looks at her name again and gets an idea.</p><p>“You know, I’m impressed you knew my name.” He starts.</p><p>Zelda chokes on her spit and tries to recover quickly—he can’t catch on. </p><p>“Well, it’s good manners, isn’t it? To know your classmates' names.”</p><p>“Is it? I haven’t heard that before,” She nods and Link decided to keep up this game because he finds he also likes the sound of her voice, “So you know the name of everyone in our class?”</p><p>She has to look away. She can’t just keep lying to his face—not when his eyes are so kind and hypnotizing. She’s made a fool out of herself too many times trying to keep her cool.</p><p>“Uhm. No. Not everyone.” She says lamely. Her face is totally red and Link looks over the rim of her empty cup to admire how it makes her green eyes stand out even more. </p><p>Her tongue is tied and she can't speak. She doesn’t think to ask how he knew her name—out of everyone in their lecture hall, he knew her name—and she's afraid of putting her foot in her mouth more than she already has. </p><p>Link smiles, victorious, because he’s seen her wake up and show so much personality in the few minutes it took to take her order. </p><p>“Well then, Zelda,” Her name even sounds nice to say out loud, he thinks, as she hands him the money for her order and he gives her the change, “Your order will be ready shortly.”</p><p>Zelda dips her head and mumbles a “thank you” then moves aside to stand by the pick-up counter and begins to fiddle with her phone.</p><p>Zelda opens and closes different apps just trying to look busy. She wonders if she should text one of her friends about her social blunders but decides against it. Knowing her friends, they’d tease her and she’s already drowning in her own mortification. </p><p>Besides, she needs to focus. Reel her attention away from her infuriatingly attractive barista/classmate and back onto her essay. She needs to make good progress tonight to save her from experiencing hell later in the week. If she managed her time well, she wouldn’t feel this exhausted come Thursday after class and might actually be able to enjoy the weekend.</p><p>“Zelda!”</p><p>She looks up and sees Link walking to the pick-up counter with her order ready and walks to meet him. He doesn’t even have time to place it down on the counter. He doesn’t have time. Zelda reaches her hand to meet his, their hands barely touching as she takes her order from him. The contact sends a jolt up Zelda’s arm and she scrambles to keep a good hold on everything. </p><p>Already embarrassed beyond belief, she brushes it off like nothing happened. If he felt it too, she wouldn’t know. She absolutely refused to look at him. </p><p>“See you tomorrow!” Zelda says without thinking. She quickly realizes her mistake.</p><p>They didn’t have class tomorrow. </p><p>Would he understand what she meant? Was he now expecting her to come in tomorrow? Did he even work tomorrow?</p><p>He looks shocked, probably confused too, before sheepishly looking away. In the café’s dim lighting, Zelda couldn’t see the light flush of his cheeks. He smiles, small but sincere, before speaking softly:</p><p>“See you tomorrow.” </p><p>She can only give a stiff nod, hands too full of coffee and lemon pound cake to wave goodbye, and swiftly turns around. She bites her lip—to shut her up before she can say something stupid or stop a goody smile from creeping onto her face, Zelda’s not entirely sure. She does know one thing though:</p><p>She’s totally coming back tomorrow.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. broken promises</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Zelda didn’t go back to the café the next day.</p><p><br/>She really, really wanted to. When she left, she was giddy with excitement for the next day. (Or maybe she was just more sensitive to caffeine than she thought.) But the more she had time to think, the more she realized how ridiculous it was. How would she know when he’d be working? Was she expected to assume he worked the same shift? Or was she supposed to set up her laptop, her textbooks, and her notes as soon as the the café opened and stay there until he got to work? </p><p><br/>That’d be creepy.</p><p><br/>So she didn’t go to the café. She stayed home in her pajamas and studied from the luxury of her bed, fighting off the gnawing guilt of breaking a commitment to a boy she just met, and berating herself for feeling guilty at all.</p><p><br/>Zelda turns the corner and sees the door to the lecture hall is propped open. Peeking her head inside, she sees her Professor’s bag sitting on the stool, but no Professor in sight. There were still a few minutes before class officially began, so there was no real rush.She enters the classroom and turns to head up the steps and makes her way to her seat when she spots a familiar head of sandy-blonde hair and is immediately transfixed. Link.<br/><br/>Should she go up and sit next to him? There’d be nothing wrong with that. But maybe she’d be pushing a boundary. He was her barista once. Sure, they were classmates, but they met at his job. </p><p><br/>Still, there was a part of Zelda that wanted to walk up to him. A part of her that reasoned that it wouldn’t be weird. Maybe meeting him yesterday was a sign that she should reach out to him, though it’s not like she was big on divine signs before.<br/>He didn’t seem rude. But that’s only what she thought from their one encounter the other day. She really didn’t know who he was as a person besides the person he presented himself as at his customer service job: the kind of job notorious for its patience and virtue.<br/>She didn’t really know him; She wanted to get to know him.</p><p><br/>He seemed keen on seeing her again too when she fumbled her words the other day. ‘See you tomorrow’ she told him, and he responded the same. Maybe it was just his way of getting repeat customers—the more loyal ones would be friendly with the baristas and hopefully leave better tips. His boss would also appreciate the business.</p><p><br/>But he knew her name. He knew her name out of the hundreds at the lecture hall when she didn’t know his and that had to mean something. It had only been a few seconds, but Zelda’s body lagged behind her racing thoughts. Steeling up the courage, Zelda sent a prayer to Farore and hoped her reasoning was sound as she walked up the steps leading to him.</p><p><br/>Link didn’t think much of it at first when he saw someone sitting down next to him out of the corner of his eyes. He kept his head low and headphones in, fiddling with the edges of his notebook pages to keep him busy until the Professor came around.<br/>A tap on his shoulder stole his attention. His shoulders tensed at the sudden interruption, but he felt his body relax when his eyes meet green.</p><p><br/>“Hi.” </p><p><br/>Her voice is soft and hesitant, but her eyes—they’re so green—are hopeful. </p><p><br/>“Zelda.” He lets out a surprise breath.</p><p><br/>Neither says anything, just staring into each other’s eyes.</p><p><br/>“Um,” She starts lamely, “May I sit here?”</p><p><br/>“Oh, of course. Here, let me just move my bag.” He grabs his bag and plops it on the floor, not caring that it’s open and his things could fly out, nor paying any mind to the jacket sleeve that touches the floor he doubts has been cleaned in a long time, if ever.<br/>Zelda quickly takes a spot. Now that she’s here, she’s not sure what to say. Class will start soon, but the Professor still isn’t here and so it feels like she should say something. She takes her time pulling out her notebooks and her pens, flipping to the right pages and making sure everything is perfectly laid out in front of her. It won’t matter how pretty and neat everything looks now; it’ll be a mess once the Professor comes in and she’s rushing to jot down her notes so they’re legible for when she rewrites them later, but she has to keep herself busy.</p><p><br/>There’s just something hanging in the air that she can’t quite name but she wonders if she works up the nerve to talk to him, that they’ll be able to figure it out together.</p><p><br/>Zelda was never the courageous one. She was studious, and wise enough to not get herself into trouble. Here, sitting in class next to a cute boy she was interested in getting to know, she was out of her comfort zone.</p><p><br/>“Were you sick yesterday?”</p><p><br/>“Huh?”</p><p><br/>“You said you were going to come into the café the other day, but I didn’t see you.”</p><p><br/>“Oh, I just got swamped with homework.” She lies. But it’s not really a lie. She did have a lot of homework, but she just couldn’t justify making her way down to the café to do her work just to keep a promise she made to a cute guy she just met when she wasn’t thinking about her words.</p><p><br/>“You don’t like to study at the café?”</p><p><br/>“I do.” She says a bit too loud, too quick. “I do.” She repeats, controlled and calm and careful.</p><p><br/>“So,” He drums his fingers on the desk, “I can expect to see you there again?” He looks excited at the thought of seeing her again, and his smile is contagious. </p><p><br/>Whatever this feeling was, it wasn’t hers alone.</p><p><br/>“Well,” Zelda hums, “it depends when you work. What if I go in and you’re not working?”</p><p><br/>“You’ll have to let me know when you plan to come in so I can ask for those shifts.” Zelda laughs. She hears the click-clack of high heels echoing throughout the lecture hall and the shuffling of bags and papers. Zelda turns to face the front of the class because she knows what this means. The Professor is almost done pulling up today’s lecture on the computer. From the corner of her eye, Link is spinning his pen around his finger.</p><p><br/>“Link?” She whispers. He turns around away from the front, giving her his full attention, “When’s your next shift? I’ll be sure to come in and make it up to you for waiting so long last time.”</p><p><br/>“You make it sound like I wasn’t working,” He laughs, more to himself, like it’s a joke only he’d understand, “I have a shift after class, actually.”</p><p><br/>“Is it okay if I walk with you after class then? I’ll need something to get me through the rest of the day. Something tells me today’s lecture will be a long one.”</p><p><br/>“Y’know,” He leans in—he’s not invading her space, but inviting her to enter his—and she can’t stop herself from mirroring him, “something tells me the same thing.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>ykno i started learning all these cool new tricks for scrivener + got prowriting aid and i was messing around w it but i realized...this is a drabble!! its important to just word vomit</p><p>Im gonna try harder for other fics to focus on things like GRAMMAR but for now im just here to have a good time</p><p>(but its also 1am and i might just be being impulsive)</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>it's almost 2 am and i was gonna edit this some more but then I didn't want to.</p><p>so I'm not gonna.</p><p>will I regret it? maybe but I also haven't written anything in MONTHS and need to just practice practice practice </p><p>get in the habit</p><p>will I continue this? ill try but we'll see</p></blockquote></div></div>
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